All posts by Richard Harrell

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About Richard Harrell

Connecting life, art, and the power of story in ways that change my world. I am a disciple-maker and lover of Jesus living in a small town in Georgia. I am also on a spiritual journey, looking for points in life that point me to new and full life in Christ Jesus.

I’m excited.

Points Along The Journey - Living A Missional Life

It’s been a good trip back to the U.S.A. for Susan and me. After another year of Italian life, hearing our “comfort language” of English has been refreshing. Of course, we live in the South, and that makes hearing it even better.

Two words I keep hearing from others this month seem to be normal: busy and exciting. I know both words are relative to the person and the circumstance. Not using one or both words to describe the day isn’t a bad thing.

My heart check happened when I heard someone mention how exciting things were. I have really strayed when I can’t think what excites me (e.g. ramps my heart pace up several notches, stops my breath a moment, and consumes my focus.)

What excites me? When am I so focused on what’s coming or what’s happening that everything else fades? The next gen Marvel movie? Hooking a fish in the surf? Hot doughnuts now lights on?

The doctor introduced me to a new word: sciatica. I had heard it, but had no idea where it was. Muscle, nerve, back, bum, leg, and beyond. Things are suppose to work together – not so with sciatica.

Two months into this malady and everyone I meet tells me their sciatica story, and what has and has not relieved it. One lady in a pharmacy insisted on showing me her patch under her clothes.

Truth be told the pain in my backside could be so agitated and unrelaxed that it hurts – in a consuming way. It’s too excited. It needs to calm down. It has been so agitated at times that I could not do or think about anything else.

But, even without the sciatica, my focus can be on the wrong things.

I want to be so excited about the things of God.

Like the growing number of “behind the scenes” Bible discussions that go on in Hollywood. Or the explosive number of new Christians in otherwise closed nations. Or the open doors that Christians have to share truth and make disciples in Europe where those closed countries are emptying their immigrants.

Or the opportunity Susan and I have to serve alongside Christ-followers who see Europe and especially Italy as the place God is moving and calling His servants to live.

That’s the excitement that halts my breath and focuses my mind.

That, and … the Hot Doughnuts Now lights.

Happy Doughnut Day.

Pieces of Cloth

Poems, Songs, and Dreams

Not two weeks from the altar, now a new one to come

The words shook our plans, the phone calls to share

Now waiting beside her, the labor intense

Hold hands, and breath a prayer.

In pieces of cloth, they wrapped her up tight

They cleaned up her body, they wiped off her face

and laid her in my arms, a beautiful baby

secure and cared for, what a gift of grace.

Our first Christmas together, decorated in gold

A tree by the mantle, a fire blazing bright

Six months and showing, a glow on her face

The creche spread on cotton so light.

In pieces of cloth, we wrapped him up tight

Small terra cotta and painted face

we laid him in the manger, a beautiful baby

Resting while shepherds and creatures look on

secure and cared for, what a gift of grace.

It’s Easter Sunday morning, dogwoods fill the air

A childhood perfume of Resurrection Days

She’s all dressed in white, with a bonnet on her head

A father’s quiet prayer of surrender.

We raise to let them go, hold on to give away.

To send out in the world, to send to the nations.

And when the moment comes around, to watch them walk away

We are most like our Father who gave His all.

In pieces of cloth, they wrapped him up tight

They cleaned up his body, they wiped off his face

and laid him in the grave, what a beautiful Savior.

secure and cared for, what a gift of grace.

He cast off the grave clothes, overpowering light

And threw back the stone, the conquering  Word.

The resurrection power pushed darkness to the ground.

Victorious champion, the reigning Lord.

He was born for sacrifice, to give His life away.

He was sent into the world, to send us to the nations.

And when the moment comes around, to go or to stay,

We are most like our Father, our broken heart for the world.

“… I’ve never seen so many…”

Points Along The Journey - Living A Missional Life, , , , , , , , ,

When the doctors and their team working in Liberia during the height of the 2014 Ebola epidemic saw the damage the disease caused, one reportedly said “I’ve never seen so many bodies.” One doctor was in charge of gathering and disposing of those who died from the disease; he and his team worked tirelessly to serve the Liberians by helping them through the collection and, with a respectful process, cremation of their dead.

Stephen Rowden was a first time volunteer with Doctors without Borders; his team processed between 10 and 25 cremations a day in Monrovia as the work sought to contain the epidemic to the region. He said his team of 36 have shown no signs of the disease even though they worked in such proximity to the dangers of the contagion.

When ask about his motivation, Dr. Rowden confessed that he is “a practicing Christian” who finds support and “strength from his faith and family.”

Since the first centuries of Christianity, those who follow Christ run toward the danger, the tragedy, the hurt… even the contagion, while most flee. From the Antonine Plague in the mid-100’s that wipe nearly 25% of the Roman Empire into eternity and those many epidemics that followed, Christ-followers sought to stay and help and serve…and suffer, in order to live a life that gives credit to the Good News and the love and power of God.

While many might say that Christianity was established in the empire because of edits, it really spread as a revolution of love, sacrifice and suffering. We run toward the need, even if the rest are running away.

Dr. Rowden captures this kind of faith through his actions.

Live sacrificially,

Rick

(Thanks to a great NPR interview by  at https://www.npr.org/2014/10/09/354890862/in-collecting-and-cremating-ebola-victims-a-grim-public-service and Baker Book called Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan to Change the World through Everyday People by Stonestreet and Smith.)

 

Do I know you?

Points Along The Journey - Living A Missional Life, , , ,

I’m seeing doppelgangers.  Every time I go out, at least the past few days, I’ve seen people I know.  Yesterday, I saw Danny DeVito. Today, I saw Robb, a guy who went with me on my first Italy mission trip (he was a clown, really, literally, a clown – but today, he was normal.)

My step-mother-in-law showed up a lot in the piazzas of Padova. But, then again, there are a lot of little old ladies (sorry, Eleanor) in Italy. They are outspoken. I had one get nose-to-chin with me for carrying shopping bags home one Sunday. She said her piece fast and with many gestures and grimaces. I think she told me it was a holy day and I couldn’t shop for more than one bag full (I had two.)

This doppelganger issue must mean something. I miss home. And people. Don’t get me wrong; I love my city and the people we get to meet with and share life with. The work with our new Fellowship is invigorating. But, I hit a spot in my year where I need my culture and my people.

It means something else, too. Cultures, languages, habits, gestures, colors and shades, all may be very different; still, we’re the same in far many ways than exterior admits. We all need respect, acceptance, love, forgiveness, kindness, and especially a person who will listen.

I’ve got to go – I think I just saw Abe Vigoda.

Still Listening,

Rick

Some people say I have a doppelganger (I’m not so sure):

           

Thinking Globally…

Newsblog Stories, Points Along The Journey - Living A Missional Life

We are committed to building relationships and inviting God’s Kingdom to be present and real in lives here in Italy. We stay in touch with friends from all over Italy, we chat with our student friends from the Bible College, and we pray for the churches that God will do amazing things in Torino, Roma, Milano, Bologna, Venezia, Verona, Bari, Palermo, and beyond!

  • We also stay connected with students (and others) who are from other cultures. We met with our Tun1si@n friend for pizza last week; she is “on the way” to discovering Jesus. We do online devotions with our Madagascar friends every day. They are growing in love with Jesus. Each day is a chance to do life with them.
  • When this journey in Italy began nearly two years ago, we asked (and continue to ask) the Holy Spirit to open doors to serve from Italy and into other nations. On Easter weekend, Susan and I will join Doug and Joan Dorman and several “catalyst” thinkers who are poised to join the movement we believe God is creating among the many European nations who have, somewhere along the way, abandoned Christian discipleship. Our goal is to expand our influence in making disciples who will increase their influence by multiplying disciples.

Please pray for this key meeting in Geneva with leaders from several countries that we will hear what the Spirit is saying. Pray also for N. and P. (our Malagasy friends, and for M. our friend from Tun1si@.